The present invention relates to a folding chair, and more specifically to a portable folding chair designed to fold in two directions for easier transport and compact storage.
Folding chairs can be found in a wide variety of outdoor recreational settings. From beach resorts to suburban back yards, people enjoy the portability and ease of storage of these chairs.
Known to the art are chairs that fold in two directions, often referred to as a quad chair, i.e., the seat folds in towards the back rests and the sides fold in towards each other. However, prior art chairs that fold in two directions achieve their compactness by eliminating rungs from the back rest and seat frames, with the primary support for a user being provided by the upholstery. This decreases the level of seat and back support, sacrificing comfort and stability.
Also known to the art are folding chairs that employ longer rear legs which extend rearward past the back rest. This design provides greater stability to the unfolded chair. However, prior art folding mechanisms fold the seat upward and push the rear leg downwards in the opposite direction. The result is a taller, less compact package when the chair is folded.
Thus there exists a need in the art for a chair that folds in two directions into a compact package that also provides enhanced seat and back support. There is also a need in the art for a chair that provides the stability offered by a rear leg that extends past the back of the chair and that also folds into a shorter package.
A folding chair, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, makes use of collapsible rungs, permitting the chair to fold compactly in two directions while providing better back and seat support than is found in the prior art. Stability is further enhanced in the present invention by the chair""s upholstery which, when mounted, further forces the top rung of the chair downward, making the chair very rigid in the open position, especially when being used. Moreover, the side rails and back supports slide freely along the chair""s rear legs, creating a folding mechanism that folds the seat upward while also pulling the rear leg upward in the same direction. Thus the rear legs extend past the back of the chair for greater stability in the unfolded state without increasing the height of the chair in its folded state, resulting in a compact package.